Powers of X #6: Foregone Conclusions

The revelation at the centre of this story is simultaneously deeply interesting and absolutely heartbreaking for any long-term X-Men fan. This issue successfully concludes the HoX/PoX duology while at the same time that it manages to set a great many rat traps for our ‘heroes’ in the future. 

Oh? You’re wondering why I set ‘heroes’ within a matched set of quotation marks. Well. Here’s a question: if Charles no longer believes that humans can co-exist with humans, if he is secretly manipulating the X-Men (and every mutant on Earth) into getting ready to destroy humanity, can any of them be said to be acting as heroes? Of course, Hickman has carefully planted a few potential future plotlines to explode that whole proposition (if someone brings Destiny back despite orders, for example, if Sinister balks, if Emma uncovers his treachery, or if any of the more moral mutants on the Council discovers what he’s up to, the game is up) but for now it is difficult to shake the ominous tone the series leaves us with. 

It was interesting to see that all of these timelines are the 616 (when Moira died, they were overwritten) and also that Moira herself is immortal unless someone kills her. She’s basically a secret, lonely, narrative trap door. If this all goes to hell, well, she does one last, final time and history is either set or totally rewritten once more. This also means that every life we’ve seen has been absolutely canon. 

There is good news. Moira thinks that she has broken Xavier, that she has changed the fundamental nature of what he is, but she said herself that she has doubts — and that he never changes. If that’s true, perhaps we’ll see the X-Men fighting for the greater good (and not merely their good) at some future date. 

There were, of course, the usual interesting Sci-fi ideas. Does mechanical evolution trump physical evolution? What does it mean to be immortal via a copy of your psychic imprint? Are the ascended really gods if their bodies are gone? Are the clones really the people we knew if they’re basically recordings. The Librarian in the far future of Life 6 was uncertain if this. He was uncertain enough to risk rewriting the world in the (vague) hopes of retaining his own soul. And so am I. Metaphysical and theological questions abound.

The Mutants, in this false far future, were kept in an Karoka-like artificial bubble which echoes their intentional self-isolation on the island. It’s both a visual and metaphorical echo, and that’s what underlines it’s narrative intentionality.

 Now for the art. Silva’s skills match, easily, the weight and value of the text. I am going to miss seeing his work every couple of weeks. 

I’m going to miss this series, glad as I am for the beginning it’s created. It, like everything, is prologue. But it’s been a beautiful, wonderful ride. 

Reviewed by Bethany W Pope